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No Excuses Allowed!!

I’ve said the same thing so many times on The Skirted Roundtable that Megan and Linda both groan and say “not again” whenever I bring the subject up. But it’s true: The IKEA slipcovered sofa is the best deal out there!! There are SO many great looking design options today for those just starting out or for those just starting over. I only wish I had had all these choices when I was decorating my first apartment – some thirty-five years ago. Maybe then my apartment wouldn’t have looked like this:

OK, quit laughing!!!! This was a loooooong time ago and I was a poor, single, 20-something secretary. I wrote about my gorgeous space HERE if you want to really crack yourself up. This picture makes me want to cry actually. As you can see, I could have used those IKEA sofas. In truth, back then I desperately wanted white love seats – but no one made slipcovers in the 70s, and keeping white sofas clean is impossible unless they are slipped. So, I settled for the next best thing – cream colored sofas in some type of hideous stain resistant fabric that felt like Velcro!!

Which is why I say it over and over again until Megan and Linda want to slug me or gag me: if I was starting out today, or if I was furnishing a vacation house, I would run to IKEA and buy their slipcovered sofa in white – for $399. I’ve spent more out on a dinner at a nice place, and we all know where that money ends up – in the toilet! Instead of spending $399.00 on a fancy meal or a dress you might wear once or twice, you could own a decent, long wearing sofa, with a white cotton slipcover, no less! There is just no excuse anymore for not having a good looking home because today, there are so many cost friendly choices available.

$399 IKEA sofa, slipcovered in white cotton. Of course, it also comes in different colors – like black, navy blue, and my new favorite – gray! The other colors are a little more expensive at $499.00 – but still, that is dirt cheap.

BEMZ: Ready-made slipcovers for IKEA sofas

Since I am so in love with the IKEA slipcovered sofa, I was thrilled to get a press release from Bemz, the company who make ready made slipcovers for IKEA furniture. Bemz has recently come out with a new line of Belgian linen fabric slips, which they call their “Loose Fit Country” line. Bemz is a located in Sweden, but shipping is only $20.00 to the United States. Prices for the regular Bemz slipcovers are less than the new Belgian linen, but at $482, for a three seater sofa, you can up the quality of your IKEA sofa tremendously. I love the look of the Bemz slipcover with the hems slightly draping on the floor. And nothing beats 100% Belgian linen for beauty.

This IKEA dining room chair is only $79.99 and is another candidate for a Bemz slipcover in the white Belgian linen.

These Bemz linen slips are $122. All of the Bemz Belgian linen slips come in white, linen, brown, and gray options.

This Bemz slipcover is softly pleated – another option.

What else is looking good these days at IKEA? For just $299.00, I noticed they FINALLY came out with a chaise without an arm! Wouldn’t two of these be great looking, flanking a big stone fireplace in a cabin on a lake????

For $349 – I love it in the gray. I would mix the gray slips with the white slips, especially since the fabrics are solid. The gray slips would look especially great in a room painted dark gray on the walls with white painted floors.

IKEA: Just $99.00 in white, $149. in other colors. You could pair two of these to make a great coffee table - or you could even do them in another color – like the gray for a contrast with the white sofa, or the navy blue if you were designing a beach house.

Here is IKEA’s version of the white slipcovers mixed with the gray. And notice the gray walls and the great sheer gray curtains.

Real Life: One of my favorite bloggers, Holly from Life in the Fun Lane, bought her IKEA sectional on Craig’s List for just a song. I love her house – all dark, dark hardwoods and everything else is white!!!

More Real Life: The Style Sisters blog HERE with a red slipped Ikea sofa and the matching chair in blue and white stripes. So cute!!!

More Real Life: Just Beachy, HERE, another favorite blog of mine, recently updated her IKEA sofa with a new slip from IKEA.

When I wrote about gray wicker, style icon Jill Brinson left a comment saying she bought 3 car loads of the gray wicker at IKEA! For just $59, I would do the same thing – this basket is fabulous. Again, two of these would make great coffee tables or – you could stack them up a wall, put them underneath a console, use them in front of beds, or have cushions made for the tops of them. They are almost 20” tall!

These baskets from IKEA are just $16.00, but they are also large at 17” x 21”. I would fill up bookcases with these, use them in bathrooms, on tables, on top or underneath consoles – the uses are endless, and they are so great looking and soooo cheap and soooo gray!!!!

These IKEA lanterns come in two sizes, large for $14.99 at 17” and smaller for $6.99. These would be great electrified and used over a kitchen island, flanking sinks and mirrors, on top of consoles and coffee tables, and used indoors and out.

IKEA: 18” of great design for only $2.99. I would bring these inside and use in pairs.

For $299., I would add a genuine cowhide layered over seagrass. Great price, of course – but in the Sunday paper, they said these are on sale for $99!!!!!! Check this out before you go though.

A quick check of other catalogues shows a few new items with great looks, and cheap prices. Now, for sure, Wisteria is much more expensive than IKEA, but their prices are still very affordable compared to what the stores charge. This new item has great appeal - trendy nail heads, love the arms, and at $1,149.00 – the price is still great.

I LOVE this accent chair with the Suzani upholstery. At $600 from Wisteria – the fabric alone is worth the price.

Wisteria: This is a huge mirror, at 44"w x 75.4"h. Just $449.00. If this price is out of your range, just wait. Wisteria always has the best sales. Even at regular price, this is a lot of look for the money.

Another Wisteria look – love this striped dhurri in apple green! Refreshing change from the usual blue and white. Starts at $499. I would layer the smaller size over seagrass. This sofa is a great look too – love it’s scalloped back and tall arms.

Real life examples showing Wisteria bought products – here Trish from the beautiful blog Trouvais pairs the Wisteria zinc altar with a cloche and the Wisteria book boxes. Trish is such a great stylist – everything here looks antique as opposed to coming from a catalogue. The cross shadow box is $79 and the book box is $44 and $49. Wisteria also sell the cloches.

Here Trish from Trouvais shows the Wisteria sunburst mirror she bought sitting on top of a signed, 18th century settee she found. I love her concrete balls too!! Trish actually applied some gold paint to the mirror to make it more gilded. Wisteria $149.

More real life Wisteria: in my daughter’s bedroom, I used the Wisteria chaise longue - $1,119.00, which I had slipcovered in white linen. It comes in a natural linen. Also, I used Wisteria’s blue book boxes on the table (Found for the Home). I love the book boxes – they are so functional for hiding small things in!!

Real Life Wisteria: my favorite buy ever. About five years ago I bought this set of two chairs and one table from Wisteria for the back yard. They still sell it for $249!

This month’s House Beautiful showed a room designed by Jim Howard. I love the bobbin chair, but they are usually so expensive. Until now….

Check out Wisteria’s bobbin chair, in black! WOW! Just $599.00 – not bad for such an attractive accent chair.

And finally, after I chastised Pottery Barn for not getting with the gray wicker program, I noticed this great looking office chair! Granted, it’s not in the trendy gray, but still – it’s sooooo cute!!!! Totally adorable!!! And only $399.00 – which is a great price for a functioning swivel with up and down lever.

Coming this week – a giveaway to end all giveaways. I promise you!!!!!!

And please check out our latest interview with Diane Dorrans Saeks on The Skirted Roundtable, HERE.

93 comments
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You saved me!!! My son lives in a small cottage attached to our house and in desperate needs of a sofa....the Ikea one is perfect, especially in the dark grey (his house keeping skills are not quite the best), I will place it together with the wicker baskests. As for wisteria i do hold a grudge, as i have mentioned before how I get tired of being copied.Have a great day, Francine

I must say I'm impressed and this is indeed my first time ever purchasing small sofafurniture online. It arrived withing a week of ordering and on time, putting it together was kinda annoying being that there's no written instructions. The couch is VERY firm and I like that because I think maybe it'll last longer than I'm expecting. However I'm not a fan of the pillows but with the "mushroom" color you can easily change out the pillows and add whatever color you like:-) Good luck future buyers

I just prepared a post on that amazing BEMZ deal! Just amazingly good stuff! And since I have one of IKEA's sofas too I will perhaps next year indulge in one of BEMZ linen slicovers... The chairs look great as well!

Great post. Loving the slipcovers. Today my sister was saying how most of her house was Joniesque and wondering whether the Schumacher Chenonceau wallpaper is too mod. Do you like that you are the name of a whole style now? haha. Lovin' the striped slipcover the best!

Bringing design to the masses! I love that you showed all these price points, and all still mostly atainable for us average Joe's... I'm watching for that pier mirror to go on sale-- even now, it is cheaper than one I've been saving for at an antique shop-- and that's just the frame, the mirror is gone!

Oh, thanks for the Ikea tips! I bought the Ikea slipcovered sofa in white and have lamented over the past year over whether I should have bought a more expensive sofa elsewhere-- but those Bemz slipcovers have made my original decision the right one!! Thank you!

Joni,I am furnishing a place in Italy, and IKEA is one of the few stores for mass merchandise. No Pottery Barn :(I wanted to love the IKEA white sofa but I found it uncomfortable.....the chaise IS comfortable....was it just me.. am I so used to my down sofa in my primary residence that I could not adjust. I suggest that one sits on it before buying..the look is fabulous, but I cannot sacrifice comfort.

LOVE the slips from Bemz...just about a week too late. I was searching for something more feminine than the trad. slipped parson's...those are great. Ended up with super economical and chic chairs from The Paula Deen Collection (just released) - http://www.furniturehoo.com/paula-deen-home-upholstered-side-chair-p-6422.html

I just heard the ad for our Ikea's 'new look' campaign today on my way to work. If I could only justify doing away with our big, brown, mod, leather couch and chair I would be all over that Ikea sofa and the new Bemz linen cover. Just the thought of going to Ikea makes me nervous, once inside there's no stopping me, ha!

It looks like I need to make the 2 hour trip to Ikea. The large baskets are calling my name. Joni, Your daughters room is beautiful as well as the picture of your garden. I had to laugh at your first apartment...but hey it looks better than mine did.xo, Sherry

I'm with you on the Ektorp! Have had mine for years and it's held up pretty well. Sure it's not the best quality as far as sofas go but it is comfortable and I love that I can change the look with all of my slips, not to mention being able to wash them. I died when I got the email from Bemz about their loose fit slips - so beautiful. Love getting my little envelopes from Lithuania (I know!) with the fabric samples.

I have an ikea sofa in my laundry room and love it. It is the room everybody uses when coming in from the pool so I don't care about the denim getting ruined. That being said, come fall I will be getting the linen slipcover because it is beautiful.

Love the grey and white slips on the Ikea sofas! With the Bemz slips, you cannot go wrong! Love it!

On Sunday, after reading Jill's suggestion, I ran to Ikea (45 minutes away with 3 kids, ugh)and bought up all the grey baskets! There were only 2 of the large ones left...phew! I would've been so upset if they were gone! They look absolutely amazing in the space and def affordable :)

Joni, thank you again for your great posts. You should never stop making the point with IKEA sofa's..... that could style doesnt have to be expensive. There are always new readers, etc., so make your point as often as you like. Your readers will still be here with you cheering you on!

Joni, You prove here that you don't need always to bring in expensive furniture or decoration to have a gorgeous looking interior! It is an art to find and to 'see' the best things not expensive to mix maybe with other maybe more expensive stuff!Loved your post! Very inspirational to all of us!xxGreetPS Did you noticed the term 'Joniesque' one of your readers used here!! Wonderful isn't it?

Joni, I so agree about the Ikea sofa. I did a post on Bemz a while ago because I have a friend that wanted a black and white striped sofa and they make one. They also have a whole line of Marimeko for those that want color. Love the linen slips, you are so right they look amazing,also love the basket trunk for a coffee table. great advice and economical. Great Post,Kathysue

I am with you all the way on Ikea, Joni! I just bought a white slipcover for my Ektorp chair. $29.00!!! I had to rub my eyes and refresh my screen I couldn't believe that price. It updated that chair instantly {and I've had it for 15 years already}. I actually have a bit of it in my most recent post if you'd like to see it. It is pictured in my living room, with the slipcover I had made for my couch {which, while still a deal, was a bit more}.

Oh...do I want to commiserate. In 1978 I wanted a white sofa so badly to go with the wicker everything else I had so I bought white hatian cotton...ouch. Every time you needed to spot clean, little tiny "brown" seeds exploded and I ended up with well...a slipcover made of an old bedspread. It's painful to look back isn't it? Check out overstock.com too! Some is awful but some great stuff sneaks in and only delivers for $2.95. You inspire me weekly. Thanks Joni!

I too love IKEA, but our closest one is in Minneapolis, 8 hours away from our Canadian city. But! In just over a year we are getting one!! I am so excited, and you are so right, there is no longer any excuse, you showed us many viable options that are very inexpensive. Great post! Hugs, Cindy S

I think we all wish we could go back with Ikea and Target as our main sources! In my first years of marriage (1998), I had my parents' 1970s crazy striped loveseats. Within a few weeks of owning them, I discovered Shabby Slips and caught the slipcover bug. BUT...instead of the white slips I wanted, my mom talked me into an Olive color to hide dirt, so I paid $1000 of my hard-wroking Enron money to have olive slips made. Ugh. Never liked them. Thank goodness I've replaced them entirely!

Love the Bemz Belgian linen. Are you kidding me?!?! You rocked this post, Joni! xo...Linsey

* I need a BEACH/LAKE HOUSE, Joni!!! (Jim does NOT like slipcovers tho, darn it!!! ~ Guess some things/thoughts are hard to change in men, but I DID have a complete "GO" on our ski house, soooo, "ya never know"!)...

This was INSPIRATIONAL~~~ super looks at even MORE SUPER PRICES... FUN and INSPIRATIONAL!!!

Like Vicki in France ... my Ikea is at least two hours away. However ~~ I plan on making the drive this weekend (hopefully!) The baskets are calling my name, in multiples placed under the 'huge' table I am redoing! Thanks for this summer tip, I am so glad I took a peek at blogs this morning.

Wow--the Ikea sofa...I had no idea!! How in the world can I compete with the amazing design coming out of catalogues? Pushing me to go higher. Thanks for the great post--I'm jumping over to Wisteria to check it out.

What an exciting post! I want to rush out to Ikea right now and furnish a room - just because! Thank you for the great info! I LOVE the Bemz products - they look beautiful... And the graphic chair is lovely.

I live in Dallas and was wondering if you know or can find out the "real" scoop on the Champ d'Or home for sale in Denton - listed for $65.5 Million? I thought it might make an interesting post. (From the real estate listing: The magnificent Champ d'Or was inspired by Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Grand Chateau near Paris, France. The property is located 15 minutes north of DFW International Airport. This stunning mansion, where attention to detail is first class, sits on 119.42 acres and includes a private lake, pool, pool house and tennis court.)

Oh Joni -Once again, you girls in Houston (or anywhere else that has an IKEA) have all the fun! We here in the Sticks of Nowhere can at least read about how to find great slips delivered to our doors all the way from Bemz. What a great resource ... . and they even do nice deep pleats on that chair cover-

We own the white Ektorp sofa, chair, and ottoman and I just couldn't help but chime in on how terribly the slipcovers hold up. The first time I washed them 1/2 of the zippers broke. Not just, "oh, they don't zip well." but scattered to pieces - unusable - ruined - snapped like tin foil. (I followed all of the care instructions). We contacted Ikea and they would do nothing for us. So we bought another set thinking we got lemons only for it to happen again on the 1st wash. We've had ours 3 years and it's not that comfortable anymore either. Not trying to be negative, just another case of "You get what you pay for."...a sofa that won't last.

Thank you so very much for showing real and affordable items that real people can get their hands on and use.. so many blogs feature such high end things that are custom design only....while pretty much of it is out of reach of the everyday person who wants to make her home attractive.. this is why Cote de Texas is such a treasure

While searching at Ikea for my daughter's new home, I tried out the chair and ottoman and found them lacking in comfort. So I gave her my furniture instead. I suppose when starting out price is all that matters.

She was able to find some great tables and other storage holding items. Ikea is very useful for the student or new homeowner.

Yay!! I am going to have to check out Bemz and their new Belgian linen slips for my Ikea sofa and chair (and ottoman). I really do like my sofa, and it's really held up well in the 5 years that I've had it. Plus, the Ikea slipcovers are so cheap to buy - I usually refresh the white ones every year or two as they shrink up some with washing and start to look dingy. But they are only about $70 to replace, so that's not bad at all.

I will say that it's gotten a little more comfortable with time, as the cushions have broken down. Do I think the sofa will last 20+ years? No, but for $399, it's a steal, and it's lasted us 5 so far, and will probably last another 2 or 3.

I'm not laughing at the circa 1970's picture, Madame. We had that couch in the three-seater version. After sitting on it for a while the backs of our legs looked like Belgian waffles. Not a good look (or feel.) And great stuff from Ikea! Vive Ikea!

Joni - great post! I don't think I have pics of my first apartment - but my little black and white ticking covered sofa (once slipcovered in a cream linen) got me through a lot of years. Wish IKEA had been around then!!

I'm on the hunt! I found the sofa on Craig's List today and might pair it with the Ikea chaise and the grey wicker chairs (from your recent post) under the loggia for summer. Thanks for the attainable inspiration, Joni!

I notice from the comment section that you are a bloggers, blogger. I appreciate your keen eye and down to earth approach. This is a timely post as I am helping my daughter with her first apartment.I have found one of the most difficult things to find is affordable art. I've bought a canvas and some paints and will attempt my own. Thanks for bringing me so much pleasure with your posts!

Bless your heart, Joni! That apartment is so cute. I actually bought the two-seater IKEA with white slips. Unfortunately, it is now in the basement because it is hard a rock. My husband calls it the Flintstone couch. I recommend switching out the foam if you want to get cozy.Thanks for the Bemz idea. I am going to buy slipcovered sofas for my new house and the linen covers look great.

Joni, I visited Ikea in ATL a few weeks ago & blogged about that sofa too, it is an incredible deal. I saw a pretty beigy linen in the store too that was available. I would totally get that sofa too if I needed another.

Got the press release from Bemz too, but didn't share it. You did a fab job telling everyone about it!

I do love IKEA, but on the off chance someone is feeling industrious, there are a million diy offerings on how to make slipcovers for existing pieces. And it is NOT that hard. They won't be perfect, you might resew/adjust/tweak until you get it right, but it's one more reason why there really is no excuse for not having a good looking home you love. Practice on cheap muslin, and use those beautiful linens collected from loved ones and Round Top for the finished product. It's a wonderful skill to have, and an opportunity to live with something custom made by your own hand.

Joni: You have absolutely no idea who I am, but you and many other design bloggers who you introduced me to ... rescued me once all the shelter magazines closed: If I had only one choice it would be the copper, then the maps, then the ...oops! just one! the copper.Thanks, Pen jpennwms@yahoo.com

The Ektorp in white is AWESOME! I have the sofa and chair and LOVE them! Even with two boys and a dog they are so easy to keep clean. Moving this summer and planning to use them in our beachy themed guest house! Love your blog! Thanks for the great post!

I really enjoyed looking around at the Brown 1st dibs store! The hanging 3-light fixture was amazing!! It would look great in my kitchen along with the awesome lantern featured in the "giveaway"! Just in case...here is my e-mail, usm_slp@yahoo.com. I enjoy your blog and always look forward to reading it!! Kathy

My daughter bought this sofa too and I agree it is great for the price. I'm thrilled to know about the slipcover firm. May have to get some parson's chairs and have them make me some slipcovers! Thanks for the tips. BTW, love the wicker PB office chairs too.

Joni I just love your blog and your style!! You always post the right thing at just the right time for me. I have the Ektorp sofa in my LIVING room...until I find something fancier that I love love love, it works great.

So I've been agonizing on the grey cane chairs from Wisteria, and even though you didn't mention them, if you posted a picture of them you must like them too. Decision made, thanks!!!!

Joni,I love the hand-made custom 3 light hanging fixture on 1stDibs website. Thanks for an amazing giveaway and an inspiring website. Yours is the only design blog I read and I love it!kathiecorner@hotmail.com

Joni... I love your blog!!! I have gotten so many ideas from reading present and past blogs. Where have I been?!!!!! I am in the process of re-doing my house in the "Wheat/Brick House Way"/Ginger Barber look. Do you know if Sally Wheat used the Linen Weave full strength or did she cut it with a percentage of Decorator White? I know Ginger Barber does this in her painting of homes. Could you check for me? Thanks...Love ya!

Shauna....I absolutely love this blog. I've gotten so many wonderful ideas and that lantern is simply gorgeous. I had a chance to visit Brown's web site and while it was hard to select just one item to purchase, I would have to go with the Belgian wooden easel. I saw a picture of one holding a flat screen television and it looked architectural and beautiful. Hope I'm not too late to enter the contest. Thanks for sharing your great ideas and keep up the good work!

What I found highly amusing while reading this post was that one of the designers you interviewed for the Skirted Round Table (Anna Spiro) makes no effort to hide her distaste for Ikea. Apparently it's" hard to educate Brisbane people with beautiful things and good design. They go to the big chain stores here like Freedom, Ikea and Domayne"

What I found highly amusing while reading this post was that one of the designers you interviewed for the Skirted Round Table (Anna Spiro) makes no effort to hide her distaste for Ikea. Apparently it's" hard to educate Brisbane people with beautiful things and good design. They go to the big chain stores here like Freedom, Ikea and Domayne"

Thanks so much for the tip about Wisteria! As it turns out it's only 40 minutes from my house. 3 of us went and came home with a car full. We got the greatest ladders patterned after a ladder found in a french library for 19.99! Cloche for 20.00, 3 nesting GRAY wicker baskets for 19.99. such fun.

After doing comparative shopping in many furniture stores and finding this sectional on the Web, I thought it was too good to be true. I read the many product reviews and decided to take the risk in purchasing it online. Wow...I love it!!! It's so worth the price and it's a wonderful statement piece. I would recommend this sectional many times over. It's really white but not a bright white.

Don't hesitate to purchase but you may need a little help with assembly.

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